For Parents

Useful Websites for Parents

Sometimes your child may need help with schoolwork and you might feel that you can't explain it to them.  First please remember that explaining a concept in your native language is very helpful, you do not have to teach your child math in English.  Teach them in the language that you're most comfortable with to gain an understanding of the concept.  Understanding the concept is more important and the language will come second. 

If you'd like some extra help here are some websites that have videos that explain many different concepts.  Sometimes it can help a student to hear someone else explaining a topic besides their teacher or their parent.

Khan Academy - You need to create a log in, but there are videos about almost every math or science topic your child could need.

Watch Know Learn - A collection of YouTube videos on a wide range of topics from language arts and math to history and science.

Brain Pop (3rd - 5th grade) and Brain Pop Jr (Kindergarten - 3rd grade) - The schools in our district have subscriptions to these websites (just ask your child's teacher for the code).  There are great short videos (usually under 5 minutes) to explain a variety of topics.  There are also quizzes and games to play after watching a video to check for understanding. 

Homework

Homework is usually given Monday through Thursday at our school.  Most teachers expect students to spend about 10 minutes per grade level on homework a night (1st grade - 10 minutes, 2nd grade - 20 minutes, 3rd grade - 30 minutes, etc.).  At this age level homework is almost always a practice of what the students have already learned in class.  Therefore if your child is struggling a lot to complete their homework, it is a good idea to contact your child's teacher to let them know.  Here is an outline of what homework in our school district usually looks like.

* Reading -  Most teachers require their students to read every night.  Kids usually have the option of reading to a grown up, reading to themselves, going on Raz - kids or listening to stories online (check out Storyline Online).  Kindergarten students begin their reading "homework" - usually a book bag sent home by the teacher in January.  The rest of the students will start homework after the first week or two of school.  Most teachers ask that students read every night.  Generally students should read from 10-20 minutes per night in grades 1-3 and 25-30 minutes a night in grades 4 & 5.

* Math - Some teachers send home math homework in the form of Everyday Math Studylinks (worksheets).  These worksheets have an explanation about what your child did in class as well as a few problems for you to do together.  Remember that your child already learned this in school, so while it's great if you can sit with while they do their homework, they should be able to do these worksheets mostly by themselves.  If they can not do it independently, then please write a note on the paper or email the teacher to let them know that your child did not understand the lesson.  You can also see if you can find a short explanation video using one of the websites listed in the Useful Websites section.

Some other teachers may assign students to work on the math program Dreambox as their math homework.  Dreambox is a math program that our district uses in grades K-5.  It changes depending on on what the kids need extra help with and challenges them in areas where they do well.  The important thing to remember about Dreambox is please do not help your child while they are playing a game.  If the program thinks your child understands something, it will then give them more challenging problems on the same topic.  It's better if the student answers the questions wrong then the computer will reteach them what to do.  You may also decide to have them sign out of Dreambox and work on explaining the game to them with paper and pencil.  Click on the link in the sidebar to get to Dreambox.

* Spelling - Teachers may assign spelling homework over the course of the week either with a paper list or on Spelling City. Your child should be able to do their spelling homework independently unless it's a day when the teacher would like them to take a pre-test (you ask them the words, they write them down and then they correct it to see what words they still need to study).

Mottos

Sometimes when a student feels frustrated, some kind and encouraging words can help!  When they take a deep breath and think of these phrases it can help them keep working.  These are some of the encouraging phrases that I use at school with kids, feel free to try them out at home.  If you have a similar saying in your native language please share it under comments!

* Never ever give up!
* It's the hard that makes it worth it, if it were easy everyone would do it.
* When you're through changing, you're through.
* The only way to become a better read is to read, read, read, read, read.....
* What you are looking for is not out there, it's in you!
* There is no substitute for hard work.
* Dreams don't work unless you do!
* Believe you can and you're halfway there - Theodore Roosevelt
* The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is just that little "extra".
* No one is perfect - that's why pencils have erasers